Schools
Brandeis Hillel Students Read to Repair the World
The school's Read-a-Thon supports community in Marin and abroad.
students launched their second annual It Rocks to Read-a-Thon in order to raise funds and celebrate literacy at home and abroad.
Last year, students read hundreds of hours and supported two separate charities: Caravan to Class, a school-building project in Mali, West Africa, and Free the Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children to overcome poverty (for which the school received the organization’s Big Dreamer’s Award).
This year’s Read-a-Thon will again support the community of Bagad. By partnering with Free the Children, Brandeis will embrace that organization’s Adopt a Village model, in which funds support the four pillars crucial to alleviating poverty: education, alternative income, health care and water and sanitation.
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“At Free the Children, we believe that every young person has the ability to take action and make a difference in the world,” Free the Children Youth Programming Director Emmy Gelb said. “The students at Brandeis have proven that they are committed to creating change locally and globally.”
Closer to home, Brandeis Middle School students will be visiting a number of local senior centers including Alma Via, and L’Chaim House in San Rafael, to read to residents. They will also read with young students at neighboring school .
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“It has been thrilling to see the enthusiasm and commitment of Brandeis students across the grades,” said middle school Director Steve Bileca, noting that only a few weeks into the event students have already read hundreds of pages, and that “when I spoke with middle schoolers about reading with seniors in local assisted living communities, every hand shot up.”
The Read-a-Thon will include a school-wide book drive to support local elementary schools in need as well as local literacy organizations. Last year’s book drive donated hundreds of books to Venetia Valley Elementary School and the Jewish Coalition for Literacy.
"When a book resonates with a child, it’s the greatest thrill in the world," said Brandeis librarian Liz Atterman.
Contact Alyson Geller if you'd like more information about our Read-a-Thon: alysong1@comcast.net.
